HOST

-◦Communication:⁯ Excellent⁯ communication,⁯ mainly⁯ via⁯ "Whatsapp".⁯ Noel⁯ (same⁯ person⁯ as⁯ Naramon)⁯ answered⁯ all⁯ questions⁯ quickly⁯ and⁯ she⁯ did⁯ it⁯ in⁯ a⁯ detailed⁯ and⁯ systematic⁯ way.⁯ Instant⁯ responses⁯ on⁯ arrival⁯ day.

-⁯◦Arrival:⁯ Arrival⁯ was⁯ handled⁯ by⁯ her⁯ mother⁯ (Noel⁯ was⁯ busy⁯ at⁯ work⁯ and⁯ I⁯ only⁯ spoke⁯ with⁯ her⁯ for⁯ a⁯ short⁯ time⁯ on⁯ the⁯ phone).⁯ Noel's⁯ mother⁯ also⁯ speaks⁯ English⁯ and⁯ she⁯ showed⁯ me⁯ the⁯ apartment/common⁯ areas⁯ and⁯ explained⁯ everything⁯ that⁯ I⁯ needed⁯ to⁯ know.⁯ Noel/her⁯ mother⁯ had⁯ obviously⁯ put⁯ effort⁯ into⁯ preparing⁯ the⁯ apartment,⁯ including⁯ written⁯ advice⁯ on⁯ transportation⁯ and⁯ some⁯ small,⁯ nice⁯ touches⁯ that⁯ made⁯ me⁯ feel⁯ welcome.

-⁯◦Departure:⁯ I⁯ did⁯ not⁯ meet⁯ the⁯ host(s)⁯ during⁯ departure.⁯ The⁯ key⁯ was⁯ put⁯ in⁯ the⁯ apartment mailbox on the ground floor.

-⁯◦General⁯ impression:⁯ Noel⁯ and⁯ her⁯ mother⁯ are⁯ friendly⁯ and⁯ rock⁯ solid⁯ persons,⁯ providing⁯ high⁯ quality⁯ throughout.

LOCATION

The⁯◦ideal⁯◦location⁯◦will⁯◦of⁯◦course⁯◦depend⁯◦on⁯◦what⁯◦you're⁯◦doing⁯◦in⁯◦Bangkok⁯◦and⁯◦general⁯◦preferences.⁯ A⁯◦few⁯◦points:

-⁯◦Local⁯◦area:⁯ This⁯◦area⁯◦is⁯◦not⁯◦geared⁯◦towards⁯◦tourists.⁯ It⁯◦feels⁯◦safe⁯ (like⁯◦everywhere⁯◦in⁯◦Bangkok,⁯ in⁯◦my⁯◦experience)⁯ with⁯◦a⁯◦nice,⁯ local⁯◦ambiance.⁯

-⁯◦Transportation:⁯ Transportation⁯◦is⁯◦OK,⁯ but⁯◦not⁯◦perfect⁯ (it's⁯ getting⁯◦better⁯◦by⁯◦the⁯◦end⁯◦of⁯◦2015⁯◦and⁯◦much⁯◦better⁯◦by⁯◦the⁯◦end⁯◦of⁯◦2016⁯◦due⁯◦to⁯◦the⁯◦MRT⁯◦extensions).⁯ You⁯◦can⁯◦of⁯◦course⁯◦take⁯◦taxis⁯◦everywhere,⁯ if⁯◦that's⁯◦your⁯◦cup⁯◦of⁯◦tea.⁯ Otherwise⁯◦there's⁯◦about⁯ 2.3⁯ km⁯ to⁯ Bang⁯◦Sue⁯◦MRT⁯◦station.⁯ Unless⁯◦you⁯◦use⁯◦motorcycle⁯◦taxi,⁯ getting⁯◦there⁯◦may⁯◦take⁯◦some⁯◦time,⁯ depending⁯ on⁯ traffic/bus⁯ timing.⁯ I⁯◦don't⁯◦mind⁯◦walking⁯◦and⁯◦found⁯◦the⁯◦best⁯◦compromise⁯ to⁯ be⁯ walking⁯ the⁯◦length⁯◦of⁯◦Pracha⁯◦Rat⁯ 1⁯ Soi⁯◦24⁯ (about⁯ 1⁯ km)⁯ and⁯◦use⁯◦high⁯◦frequency⁯◦bus⁯◦number⁯ 97⁯ from⁯◦there.
Boat⁯◦transport⁯◦is⁯◦fun⁯◦and⁯◦can⁯◦be⁯◦very⁯◦efficient.⁯ At⁯◦the⁯◦moment⁯◦Wat⁯◦Soi⁯◦Thong⁯ is⁯ the⁯◦nearest⁯◦pier⁯ (Bang⁯◦Po⁯◦closed⁯◦during⁯◦construction),⁯ 10-20⁯◦minutes⁯◦by⁯◦bus⁯ and/or⁯ walking,⁯ orange⁯◦flag⁯◦boat⁯◦frequency⁯ 3-4⁯ per⁯◦hour.⁯ In⁯◦addition⁯◦there⁯◦are⁯ of⁯ course⁯ many⁯◦buses⁯◦going⁯◦to⁯◦different⁯◦places,⁯ you⁯◦may⁯◦be⁯◦lucky⁯ to⁯ find⁯◦something⁯◦that⁯◦suits⁯◦your⁯◦needs!

-⁯◦Parks:⁯ The⁯◦Chatuchak⁯◦Park⁯◦Complex⁯ (several⁯◦connected⁯◦parks)⁯ is⁯ a⁯ fantastic⁯◦green⁯◦escape.⁯ Many⁯◦people⁯◦use⁯◦the⁯◦parks⁯◦for⁯◦running,⁯ walking,⁯ bicycling.⁯ If⁯◦you⁯◦want⁯◦to⁯◦exercise⁯◦you⁯◦may⁯◦just⁯ as⁯ well⁯◦get⁯◦there⁯ via⁯ Soi⁯◦24⁯◦mentioned⁯◦above,⁯ Krungthep-Nonthaburi⁯ 12,⁯ Soi⁯ Pracha⁯ Chun⁯ 4⁯ Yaek⁯ 1-4,⁯ crossing⁯◦the⁯◦railway⁯◦lines⁯ (no⁯◦problem,⁯ everybody⁯◦does⁯◦it)⁯ and⁯◦then⁯◦enter⁯◦the⁯◦park⁯◦through⁯ the⁯ back⁯◦door⁯◦under⁯◦the⁯◦Sirat⁯◦Expressway.⁯ Otherwise⁯◦the⁯◦park⁯◦is⁯◦accessible⁯◦via⁯◦MRT⁯ (2⁯◦stations⁯◦from⁯◦Bang⁯◦Sue).

APARTMENT

-⁯◦Living⁯◦room:⁯ Nice⁯◦sofa/table⁯◦relax⁯◦area.⁯ If⁯◦for⁯◦some⁯◦reason⁯◦you⁯◦want⁯◦to⁯◦watch⁯◦TV,⁯ you⁯◦have⁯◦several⁯ over-the-air⁯ digital⁯◦channels⁯ (Thai⁯◦only).

-⁯◦Bed:⁯ The⁯◦bed⁯◦is⁯◦in⁯◦the⁯◦living⁯◦room,⁯ adjacent⁯◦to⁯◦the⁯◦windows⁯◦(fantastic⁯◦views).⁯ There's⁯◦a⁯◦main⁯◦mattress⁯◦with⁯◦an⁯◦additional⁯◦upper⁯◦mattress.⁯ The⁯◦upper⁯◦mattress⁯◦is⁯◦rather⁯◦firm,⁯ I⁯◦found⁯◦it⁯◦comfortable.⁯ There⁯◦is⁯◦a⁯◦decent⁯◦duvet,⁯ very⁯◦good!⁯ The⁯◦duvet⁯◦is⁯◦a⁯◦big,⁯ single⁯◦one.⁯ If⁯◦you're⁯◦two⁯◦people⁯◦sleeping⁯◦together,⁯ you⁯◦may⁯◦take⁯◦this⁯◦into⁯◦consideration.

-⁯◦Kitchen:⁯ The⁯◦kitchen⁯◦is⁯ not⁯◦meant⁯◦for⁯ serious⁯◦cooking⁯ and⁯◦it⁯◦seems⁯◦most⁯◦people⁯ wouldn't⁯◦bother⁯◦anyway⁯◦as⁯◦delicious⁯◦cooked⁯◦food⁯◦is⁯ available⁯◦everywhere.⁯ Nevertheless,⁯ there⁯◦is⁯◦a⁯◦kettle⁯ (automatic⁯◦reheat)⁯ for⁯◦coffee/tea/instant⁯◦noodles,⁯ toaster⁯◦and⁯◦a⁯◦small⁯◦steam⁯◦boiler⁯◦for⁯◦boiling⁯◦eggs⁯ (can⁯◦be⁯◦used⁯◦for⁯◦steaming⁯ a⁯ small⁯◦amount⁯◦of⁯◦vegetables⁯◦as⁯◦well).⁯ For⁯◦me⁯◦this⁯◦was⁯◦enough⁯◦for⁯◦breakfast⁯◦and⁯◦evening⁯◦snack.⁯ Moreover,⁯ the⁯◦fridge⁯◦is⁯◦perfect,⁯ also⁯◦including⁯◦a⁯◦big,⁯ separate⁯◦freezer⁯◦compartment.⁯

-⁯◦Balcony:⁯ The⁯◦balcony⁯◦is⁯◦accessible⁯◦via⁯◦the⁯◦kitchen.⁯ It's⁯◦small⁯ (around⁯ 1⁯ sqm),⁯ withdrawn⁯◦from⁯◦the⁯◦building⁯◦front⁯ (i.e.⁯ the⁯◦views⁯◦are⁯◦much⁯◦better/wider⁯◦from⁯◦the⁯◦living⁯◦room⁯◦where⁯◦the⁯◦windows⁯◦can⁯◦be⁯◦opened⁯◦to⁯◦give⁯◦an⁯◦outdoor⁯◦connection),⁯ no⁯◦chair⁯◦and⁯◦not⁯◦suitable⁯◦for⁯◦sitting⁯◦anyway.⁯ Accordingly,⁯ the⁯◦balcony⁯◦is⁯◦really⁯◦not⁯◦meant⁯◦for⁯◦recreational⁯◦purposes.

-⁯◦Bath⁯◦room:⁯ Very⁯◦good.⁯ Instant⁯◦heating⁯ (no⁯◦container)⁯ of⁯◦shower⁯◦water,⁯ works⁯◦perfectly.⁯ Just⁯ a⁯ small⁯ detail:⁯ All⁯◦lighting⁯◦is⁯◦in⁯◦the⁯◦ceiling,⁯ meaning⁯◦that⁯◦you⁯◦have⁯◦no⁯◦direct⁯◦light⁯◦in⁯◦your⁯◦face⁯◦when⁯◦looking⁯ in⁯◦the⁯◦mirror.⁯ If⁯◦you⁯◦are⁯◦a⁯◦person⁯◦that⁯◦is⁯◦dependent⁯◦on⁯◦perfect⁯◦face⁯◦light⁯◦while⁯ e.g.⁯ shaving,⁯ this⁯◦may⁯◦be⁯◦a⁯◦small⁯◦issue.⁯ I⁯◦found⁯◦the⁯◦bath⁯◦room⁯◦lighting⁯◦good⁯◦enough.

-⁯◦Storage:⁯ Big⁯◦cupboard⁯ (no⁯◦shelves)⁯ with⁯◦ditto⁯◦volume.⁯ Good⁯◦for⁯◦hanging⁯◦clothes⁯◦and⁯◦general⁯◦storage.⁯ There's⁯◦a⁯◦piece⁯◦of⁯◦furniture⁯◦between⁯◦the⁯◦bed⁯◦and⁯◦the⁯◦sofa⁯◦suitable⁯◦for⁯◦storing⁯◦underwear,⁯ socks⁯◦etc.

-⁯◦Air⁯◦condition:⁯ Working⁯◦perfectly.⁯ Note⁯◦that⁯◦the⁯◦cool⁯◦air⁯◦blows⁯◦into⁯◦the⁯◦living/bed⁯◦room⁯◦only.

-⁯◦Internet:⁯ In⁯◦general⁯◦very⁯◦good.⁯ Always⁯◦working⁯◦and⁯◦even⁯◦though⁯◦the⁯◦transfer⁯◦rate⁯◦could⁯◦vary⁯ it⁯ was⁯◦always⁯◦fully⁯◦usable.⁯ Typically⁯◦5-8⁯◦Mbit/s⁯◦down,⁯◦1-2⁯◦Mbit/s⁯◦up.

-⁯◦Cleanliness:⁯ Excellent.

COMMON⁯ AREAS

-⁯◦Washing/drying⁯ machines:⁯ Coin⁯◦operated⁯◦machines⁯◦on⁯◦the⁯◦ground⁯◦floor.⁯ 30⁯ Baht⁯◦for⁯◦washing⁯ (up⁯ to⁯ 3-4⁯ kg).⁯ 1⁯ Baht⁯◦per⁯◦minute⁯◦for⁯◦drying⁯ (10⁯ Baht⁯◦coins⁯◦only).

-⁯◦Drinking⁯◦Water:⁯ There's⁯ a⁯ drinking⁯ water⁯ dispenser⁯ in⁯ the⁯◦washing⁯◦room.⁯ 1⁯ Baht⁯◦per⁯◦litre.

-⁯◦Workout⁯◦room:⁯ 32nd⁯ floor.⁯ Didn't⁯ try⁯ it.⁯ Looked⁯◦good,⁯ even⁯◦treadmills⁯◦available.

-⁯◦Swimming⁯◦pool:⁯ Access⁯◦via⁯◦32nd⁯ floor.⁯ Good⁯◦size⁯◦for⁯◦doing⁯◦laps.⁯ Chairs⁯◦available.⁯ Clean.

-⁯◦Roof⁯◦top⁯◦area.⁯ Fantastic⁯◦views.

CONCLUSION

Overall⁯ excellent.⁯ I⁯ would⁯ highly recommend⁯ the⁯ host/apartment.